Excavating Contractor in Pittsburgh, PA
We travel to the Pittsburgh area for excavation and site work. Tell Jeff about the job and the ground, and he will talk it through with you.
Excavation and site work for Pittsburgh-area projects
Flat ground is hard to find around Pittsburgh. Most building sites start as a slope, a bench cut into a hill, or a lot that has been sitting under brush since the last owner gave up on it. Before a builder can pour anything, somebody has to clear it, cut it, and make a level place that will stay put. That first stage is the work we travel for.
Logan Earthworks is based in northeastern Ohio and owner-operated. Jeff looks at the job and gives you the estimate. For jobs in Allegheny County we look hardest at the ones where we can do several steps in one trip: land clearing or forestry mulching, then the site cut, the pad and the trenches. One move-in, one outfit that knows the whole plan, and a site left clean and ready for your builder.
A larger site, an acreage lot, or clearing and excavation done together suits a travel job well, because the machines only move in once. Whatever size your project is, tell us about it when you call and we will talk it through. The call is free and so is the estimate. Our Pittsburgh land clearing and excavation page covers the clearing side.
Excavation we travel to Pittsburgh for
- Site cuts and benches on sloped lots
- Foundation and footer excavation
- Building pads and rough grading
- Utility trenching for new builds
- Clearing and mulching before the dig
- Earthmoving for commercial and acreage sites
Hills, red clay and Pennsylvania rules
Slopes and the Pittsburgh red beds
Pittsburgh sits where the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers meet to form the Ohio, and the neighborhoods climb the hills from there. The Pittsburgh Geological Society names three things behind most local landslides: the Pittsburgh red beds, steep slopes and water. The red beds are a red shale and claystone layer that weathers to clay. Cutting into a hillside, or loading the top of one with fill, is not something to guess at in that ground. On a sloped site we want a geotechnical engineer's plan in hand, and we dig to it.
Erosion control starts at 5,000 square feet
Pennsylvania regulates earth disturbance under its Chapter 102 rules, and in Allegheny County the Conservation District reviews the plans. The District says projects that disturb 5,000 square feet up to just under one acre must design and carry out an erosion and sediment control plan, and that disturbing one acre or more requires an NPDES permit for most construction. A house site in Pittsburgh passes that first mark quickly. Your engineer draws the plan. The dig is built around it, and the plan sets which controls go in before the dirt moves.
Pennsylvania One Call
Pennsylvania's call before you dig system is Pennsylvania 811, also known as PA One Call. Its guidance is to place the notice three to ten business days before you dig, and a business day there means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday. Dial 811 or 800-242-1776. The state Public Utility Commission says homeowners and contractors both have to call. Who places the notice gets sorted out when we look at the job, and the digging waits for the marks. Allegheny County is split into a great many municipalities, so ask yours about its own permits too.
Excavating Contractor, Up Close
Real photos from Logan Earthworks jobs. See more recent work or read about our full excavation service.
Pittsburgh Excavating Contractor Questions
Not seeing yours? Call (330) 625-5754 and ask Jeff.
Will an Ohio excavating contractor come to Pittsburgh for my project?
Yes. We travel to the Pittsburgh area for land clearing, forestry mulching and site work, and excavation often goes with those. Bigger sites and jobs that combine clearing, cutting and pad building suit a travel job well. Tell Jeff what you have and he will talk it through with you. Call (330) 625-5754.
Do I need an engineer before excavating a hillside lot in Pittsburgh?
We think you should have one, and your municipality may require it. The Pittsburgh Geological Society points to the red beds, steep slopes and water as the main causes of landslides in the area. A geotechnical engineer can tell you where it is safe to cut and fill and how the slope should be drained. On a hillside we dig to that plan.
How many days before digging do I have to call 811 in Pittsburgh, PA?
Pennsylvania 811 says to place your notice three to ten business days before you dig. Weekends and legal holidays do not count as business days. Dial 811 or 800-242-1776. Homeowners and contractors both have to call. We settle who places the notice when we look at the job, and no digging starts until the lines are marked. Check with Pennsylvania 811 for current rules.
What should I have ready before you quote an excavation job in the Pittsburgh area?
The address, a site plan or a sketch, and any engineer's report or grading plan you already have. Photos of the slope and the way in help a lot on a travel job. Tell us if the lot needs clearing first, where the dirt can go and when your builder wants to start. Then Jeff can look at the site and give you a free estimate. More detail is on our excavation services page.
Pittsburgh & Allegheny County
We cover Pittsburgh and the communities around it, including:
Forestry Mulching in Pittsburgh
Brush and small trees ground into mulch in place. No piles, no burning, no hauling.
See the Pittsburgh pageYard Drainage in Pittsburgh
French drains, swales, ditches and culverts that move water off your property.
See the Pittsburgh pageAll Services in Pittsburgh
Everything we do in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County.
Pittsburgh overviewExcavation Services
Foundation digs, building sites, utility trenches, ponds and general earthmoving.
The full serviceExcavating Contractor in other towns
Need Excavating Contractor in Pittsburgh?
Call Jeff or send a few details. Estimates are free.